Organization honors youth achievements, dedication

BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS:：Among the award winners was writer and director Giddens Ko, who found huge success last year when his debut movie became a smash hit

By Su Yung-yao and Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Wed, Oct 10, 2012 - Page 3

The Junior Chamber International Taiwan (JCI Taiwan) yesterday announced the winners of the 50th Ten Outstanding Young People of Republic of China (ROC) awards at the legislature in Taipei, recognizing their remarkable achievements and dedication to society.

Ten individuals in eight fields were selected: Yuan Ze University Department of Electrical Engineering professor Wei Jung-tsung (魏榮宗) for technological development; National Hsinchu Senior High School General Affairs Office director Liao Tsang-hsiang (廖蒼祥) for local education; National Health Research Institutes assistant researcher Chi Ya-hui (紀雅惠) for medical research; National Taiwan University Graduate Institute of Journalism student Shen Hsin-ling (沈芯菱) for social service; National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sports student and taekwondo athlete Wei Chen-yang (魏辰洋) for sports; Taichung District Court prosecutor Cho Chun-chung (卓俊忠) for public administration; and Ledder Technologies chief executive Pan Yu-hsiang (潘宇翔) for agriculture, fisheries and environmental protection.

A special category for expatriate youth was created this year and awarded to Gene Luen Yang (楊謹倫), an American-born Taiwanese who teaches at Bishop O’Dowd High School in California.

An award ceremony is scheduled to be held at the New Taipei City (新北市) hall on Oct. 16.

Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄), who was among the judges for this year’s awards, said only eight individuals would have been selected as outstanding young people this year.

“However, as the academy celebrates its 50th anniversary, the panel decided to select two honorees, instead of just one, in the arts and culture category, and set up the special category for expatriate youth,” Wu said.

Speaking on Ko’s win, Wu said Ko had demonstrated his talent even in the most difficult environment and had produced movies that were a positive influence on the public and society.

A best-selling writer who has published more than 60 books, Ko reached a new level of success last summer after his first movie You Are the Apple of My Eye (那些年，我們ㄧ起追的女孩), which gives a bittersweet taste of youthful romance, became a huge hit.

Meanwhile, Shen was named among the honorees for her strong determination to pursue education, according to the JCI Taiwan’s press release, despite having been forced to take up different jobs to scrape a living.

“In spite of her financial predicaments, Shen assisted farmers in marketing their unsalable pomelos by establishing an online selling platform, while having been involved in philanthropy for the past 12 years,” the JCI Taiwan said.

“We aspire to see the achievements and dedication made by these 10 outstanding young people bring some changes to the sets of values of other people,” it said.